Tote tray



United States Patent 3,269,579 TOTE TRAY Edward C. Moerke, Caledonia, Wis., assignor to Moerlre Displays and Mfg. Co., Union Grove, Wis., a copartnership Filed Aug. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 387,119 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-21) This invention relates to trays and more particularly to a tote tray adapted to transport a plurality of plumbers nipples of various sizes, sorted according to size.

Plumbers usually carry an assortment of nipples with them to each job, the nipples being of mixed sizes and not sorted as to size in the container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tote tray particularly adapted to hold a plurality of each size of nipple, or the like, apt to be needed on the job, sorted according to size and readily available to the plumber without having t-o hunt for the particular nipple desired.

Another object is to provide a tote tray which will save the plumbers time on the job.

A further object is to provide a tote tray which will insure the plumber Ihaving Ian adequate supply of each size nipple before leaving his shop.

Still further objects will become apparent upon considering the following specification, which when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings will describe a preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the tote tray showing several nipples in place in the pockets;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is `a cross-sectional View taken on the -line 3--3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a -cross-section through Ithe rupper end of the tray, taken in the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with the racks removed.

Referring to `the drawings, the tote tray is formed of a iiat rectangular base made of sheet metal with a metal extension `12 formed on the forward end of the base and adapted to be bent up perpendicular to the base to form a forward wall, and a second extension 14 formed on the rear end of the base and adapted to be bent up at right angles to the base to form a rear wall for the tray. T'lrapezoidal side pieces `16 iit lbetween the forward wall 12 and the rear wall 14 to form an open top tray. The edges of the side pieces 16-16 may be secured to the base 10 and the ends 12-14 by welding.

A lower grid 20 is made of heavy wire and is provided with feet 22-22, which rest on the base of the tray and support the grid above the bottom of the tray. The openings in the grid are of suficent size to receive the end of a standard nipple. The grid is received on top of nuts 24-24 welded to the inside surfaces of the walls of the end pieces and used in cooperation with machine screws 25 to secure a bale 26 in place.

A U-shaped member 28 is spot welded onto the rear ICC wall 14 with the ends projecting horizontally therefrom, the lower end forming a means to hold the rear end of the lower grid 20 securely in place in the bottom -of the tray.

The upper grid 30, having the same size openings as the lower grid 20, is mounted above the lower grid with the rear end of the upper grid being supported on the upper shelf 31 formed by the upper end of the U-shaped member 28. The lower end of the upper grid 30 rests lon the forward end of the grid 20. The grid 30 is retained in the tray Iby tabs 32 and 433 attached to the downwardly projecting arms 34 and 35, respectively, of the bale 26. The arm 35 is made longer than the arm 34 in order to accommodate nipples of increasing lengths as shown in FIG. 2.

Having thus described the invention it will be realized that various changes in size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

That which is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A tote tray yof the character described comprising, a at base, upturned sides and ends connected to said base, a support shelf carried by one of said ends, a first grid having -a plurality of feet formed thereon supporting the grid above and parallel to said lbase, said grid having a plurality of openings therethrough adapted yto receive the -lower ends of objects to lbe carred in said tray, a second grid sloping upwardly relat-ive to said rst grid and supported between said first grid and said shelf, said second grid having a plurality of openings there through registering with the openings in the said first named grid, a bale attached to the upturned ends on said base, and means on said bale to retain both grids in the tray.

2. A tote tray as defined in claim 1 in which the shelf has a depending member connected thereto and adapted to secure the first grid on said base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 67,'247 7/ 1867 Ames et al.

914,421 3/1909 Jones 211--l81 X 1,664,245 3/ 1928 Coyle 206-16 2,019,877 11/1935 Thomas 211-181 X 2,568,405 9/ 1951 OMalley.

2,835,406 5/ 1958 Dickerson 220-21 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 153,235 3/ 1949 Pressberger. 1,948,202 2/ 1934 Chapman. 2,35 5,206 8/ 1944 Davidson. 2,706,576 4/ 1955 Thon. 2,979,225 4/ 1961 Nolsinger.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

R. A. JENSEN, I. R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A TOTE TRAY OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, A FLAT BASE, UPTRUNED SIDES AND ENDS CONNECTED TO SAID BASE, A SUPPORT SHELF CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID ENDS, A FIRST GRID HAVING A PLURALITY OF FEET FORMED THEREON SUPPORTING THE GRID ABOVE AND PARALLEL TO SAID BASE, SAID GRID HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THERETHROUGH ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE LOWER ENDS OF OBJECTS TO BE CARRED IN SAID TRAY, A SECOND GRID SLOPING UPWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST GRID AND SUPPORTED BETWEEN SAID FIRST GRID AND SAID SHELF, SAID SECOND GRID HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THERE THROUGH REGISTERING WITH THE 